The Unknown Adventurer: Ardorn's Tale
by Jaw112211
Summary: A man with no familia, no god or goddess returns to Orario from a long training trek in the Beol mountains. Two years to be precise. Not many people know his name, fewer know he goes into the dungeon without a blessing. What will become of this man? Will he make his fortune in the darkest depths of the dungeon, or will he die striving to reach his hand out to the light of the exit?
1. Chapter 1: Ard's Return

****Due to the MASSIVE LACK of fan fiction for Dungeon no Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka, or otherwise known as Is it Wrong to try and pick up girls in a Dungeon, or the ever shorter and easier to pronounce DanMachi, I have decided to write an all original content with a few original characters thrown in. This will not be following the Hestia family nor will it feature Bell Cranel (that much, he will make appearances.) Please enjoy and leave a review if you like or hate it!**

 **End of Author Rant****

The sixth floor, it had been awhile since he delved this deep. Oh he knew he could handle it, he just wanted to be cautious… after all he didn't have the blessing of the gods to help him like other adventurers. He faintly recalled it being called the Falna, but today he needed some extra scratch to get his hands on some more of his favorite beer. His mouth watered with anticipation as the bar he frequented didn't import it that often from the Alv Mountains.

"I'll have to stock up on it. Can't let them run out now can I, without most of it going with me anyway!" Said the adventurer excited stalking the dark corridors of the dungeon looking for potential prey. He stepped in something viscous and looked down to see a faint dark red stain on the ground. It was a blood trail. The adventurer followed looking for the wounded person, or creature, either or would be fine by him.

*Cough* "Eh, that's going to hurt tomorrow for sure. Uh, man, where is that bastard with that help?" Said a voice from around a corner.

The adventurer took a quick peek around the corner to see a man with brown hair and two scars on his face. One on his left cheek and another over his left eye on his forehead.

"Mord? The hell happened to you big man?" Laughed the adventurer heartily looking over the injured man. He noticed a gash over his shoulder, it seemed pretty deep.

Mord looked to the mysterious man standing over him and squinted in the low light of the dungeon. As he realized who was standing before him his eyes widened in a nostalgic happiness.

"Ardorn is that you? What are you doing down here? More like when the hell did you get back to Orario?" Questioned a stunned Mord as he tried to stand and proceeded go into a coughing fit, hacking up a small amount of blood.

"Whoa there big guy, take it easy. What happened to you, where is your party?" Asked Ardorn, grabbing onto the man as he fell forward. He laid the wounded man back down against the wall where he had been originally.

"Long story short, I was going to Rivira with a small group of guys, the Loki familia headed down earlier trying to get to the thirtieth floor. So we were going to get there behind them after they did the hard work of killing the Goliath on the seventeenth floor. Lucky us though, we got attacked by War Shadows." Said Mord, managing to croak it out through his coughing fit. Blood ran down his chin onto his furred cloak. "Some people ran away right away, some others fought. I fought, obviously, as you can see. I sent one of the guys back the way we came for help. The rest went to check on the fools who fled."

"Let's get you out of here, you can buy me some beer for the trouble. And how many times must I tell you, call me Ard." Replied Ard, positioning himself so that he could flip Mord over onto his shoulder.

"Argh, watch it."

"Sorry." Shrugged Ard, apologetic as it was going to get.

"Argh, what the fuck Ardorn! And don't you dare say sorry and shrug again." Yelled a very angry and hurt Mord.

"Whatever you wish my ever humble princess." Replied Ard sarcastically, flourishing his free hand so that Mord could see it. In response Mord kneed him in the chest. "Oi, watch it or I just might sneeze bastard." Laughed Ard.

The going back was fairly easy, most of the monsters had been killed either by the Loki familia, or by other adventurers heading down to lower floors. However they did have to stop once to sneak around a large group of goblins on the second floor. Soon after they were out of the dungeon and ran into a frantic looking adventurer leading a small group of people with a stretcher.

"Conners, where the hell were you!?" Yelled Mord from over Ard's shoulder.

"Mord? Gods! MORD!" Screeched a very happy little man. "Oh, it's a miracle! You survived being alone down there and managed to… Who's the guy you're riding?" Questioned Conners quizzically looking at Ard, having never seen him before.

"The names A…" Ard began.

"Guys names Ardorn. Man just got back from travelling the land. Been what, how many years Ard?"

"Three." Sighed Ard annoyed at the talkative nature of his passenger. "And hey, who the hell said he was riding me? If anything he's getting off here." Barked out Ard dropping Mord onto the waiting stretcher.

"GOD DAMNIT ARD! The hell are you doing dropping me like that! That fucking hurt!" Cried out Mord in intense pain, tears welling in his eyes. "Well, for what it's worth, thank you for dragging my sorry ass out of there. As promised, take some valis." He said, looking a little embarrassed and to have had needed to rely on someone else as he tossed Ard a small bag of magic stones he had collected during the trip down.

"Thanks. No work for a bit of scratch? Maybe today is going to turn out better than I thought it would." Ard said catching the pouch and looked inside. "Pft, won't even buy two drinks, I'll see you later I need more from inside." He turned and headed back to the dungeon.

Before Ard went through the door again he turned to look over his shoulder and called out to the men carrying Mord, "Take it easy with him, he's one of my only associates!" Before he got through the door however.

"Just call me what you want to you dumbass, we're friends! Get over it!" Called out Mord.

Ard smiled as he went in, thinking to himself, _some fools have it well off in this world don't they?_

Ardorn made his way down to the third floor before he encountered any monsters, a small group of kobolds, from what Ard could see there were about several. He wasted no time in engaging them launching into an all-out assault. The first goblin was down the instant he entered the fray to fight them, snapping its neck with a lariat. The others now took notice of him as the goblin he just ended imploded into dust. He drew his two swords, the longer of the two he held in his off-hand, the shorter he held reversed in his right hand.

"Let's get started then." He mocked, grinning at the large group that was coming at him. One of the kobolds cried out a feral snarl and rushed headlong towards Ard, who brought forth his right hand in a forehand cut with his baselard, decapitating and killing it instantly. The other five were now moving cautiously two moving towards his right with great speed, trying to get behind him.

They now rushed him, the two from behind and one coming in from the left. Ard stood stock still in place, breathing to focus all his energy. He moved his footing to face the one that was charging from the left, putting his back completely to the two charging from behind. His hands moved on their own, his mind a blank slate.

His left hand, holding his broadsword was leverage across his right arm, the blades forming a cross. He spun on his back foot, thrusting with his offhand weapon into one of the two that was behind him while he ducked underneath the swiping claw of one of the kobolds, blocking the other kobold's attack with the rusty bracer on his right arm. He dug the short blade of the baselard underneath its ribcage and into its magic stone.

"Two down, three to go!" Ard declared, a feral look in his eyes and a wicked grin set on his lips. The third kobold leapt back flipping away from his counter, narrowly missing being caught across the face. It retreated back to the safety of its two fellow kobolds.

"Bastards, you're smarter than you look, aren't ya? Don't worry, you'll be seeing your friends soon enough." Said Ard throwing his baselard into the one standing to the left behind the first one. As soon as it was loosed he swung his broadsword through the like a flying disk of death. He sprinted after both weapons as soon as he planted his forefoot back into the dungeons bloodstained soil. The baselard struck the kobold first, impaling it through the right eye. The first kobold ducked beneath the swirling broadsword and ran towards Ard as he ran at it. The broadsword cleaving the ill-prepared third kobold in half. The sole surviving kobold leapt forward trying for a mighty blow with both claws.

"IMPACT!" Screamed Ard, punching the kobold under the jaw. A bright red flower of fire exploded where his fist struck sending the flaming kobold back into the wall of the dungeon, exploding into a fiery mass of light. The magic stone fell to the ground along with a couple of the kobolds teeth, which had probably been knocked out from the punch. Ardorn collected the several stones, the three teeth as well as his weapons.

"This should be able to get me enough valis for some of that Alv Ale." Said Ard, a twinkle in his eye, looking forward to his drink tonight. A rock bounced off of the ground, he spun around towards the sound, dropping into a combat stance. Shadows danced on the wall of the dungeon. The light source was bright, _a torch?_ Ard thought to himself. He eased up his stance however he remained aware that it still might be dangerous. You could never tell with some adventurers.

"Hey Welf, do you think you could repair this bracer when we go for a day off next time? It's getting pretty beat up." Said a young man's voice as the shadows grew closer.

Why don't you just get a new one, better yet why don't you just let me make you a new one?" Said an older male, who Ard suspected was the Welf the first man had spoken to.

"I think Bell likes that one though, he got it from Miss Eina." Spoke a small feminine voice. Ard questioned what the three of them looked like and risked staying where he was. It wasn't often people went into the dungeon discussing random things like this.

The shadows were almost around the corner, whoever was holding the torch illuminated the two in the front, two male figures, one shorter another taller.

"The woman must be a supporter, her hands don't need to be free if she's holding a torch." Ardorn whispered to himself. Ard slipped into the shadows of one of the dungeons walls so he wouldn't be spotted as soon as they rounded the corner.

Ard noticed the shorter man first, his eyes crimson like blood glowed beneath his white bangs. The second, taller man, had red hair and was wearing a blue scarf. Lastly, a short woman carrying a large backpack holding the torch appeared. Ard noticed he had been correct, she was just a supporter, her cloak was white, her hood up. He also noted in the faint light of the torch that her hood had two small bulges on the top.

 _A cienthrope or was it some sort of helmet?_ Thought Ard curious as to what it may be.

"That doesn't have anything to do with it Lili, it just has been really…" Said Bell, stopping when he saw Ard. "Eh, hello." Sputtered Bell trying to be polite.

"Hey, so I'm curious…" Ard spoke leaning forward from the wall. The small party shuffled into a more ready position. "So is that a helmet or are you a cienthrope?" He finished. Everyone in the party looked confusedly at each other, until the two men finally looked to Lili, who pulled back her hood.

"I'm a cienthrope… Why'd you want to know?"

"Oh, honestly there was no reason. I saw the little bumps in your hood and was curious if it was an odd shaped helmet. No other reason, well I've got to go now, the bars awaiting." Said Ard pushing himself off the wall and headed the way the trio came from towards the exit.

"Wait!" Called the white haired boy. "Who are you, I've never seen you before."

"Yeah, neither have I. What's your name?" Called the taller man.

Ard turned and looked at them and started walking backwards. "Me? I'm no one really. But if you want to know, the name's Ardorn. Call me Ard though, shorter, easier." Ard replied, turning back to continue forward. Raising his hand in a wave.

 ****Okay, so first section of Ardorn's adventure, what did you people think? Good, Bad, Ugly? I have plans for this continuing on, but this was literally a spawned brain child that I only thought up in response to not many fics about DanMachi. Sooo I'm not sure where this will be going but it is going somewhere, I am open to suggestions however, not all or none may be used. Feel free to PM me or leave a review! It'll help me a bunch!****

 **Never stop believing in stories!**

 **-Jaw112211**


	2. Chapter 2: Drowning

Chapter Two of The Unknown Adventurer: Ardorn's Tale

Ard looked towards the pub before him, all sorts of people milling in and out of the large double doors. He looked to the brightly painted sign above the doors in the evening light, reading it, it said, Hostess of Fertility.

"Ah, it's good to be home!" He called out leaning back on his heels and raising his hands into the air. The people moving through the crowd looked at him with strange glances but he didn't care, he was just happy to be back at his favorite watering hole.

"Did I hear someone yelling out here?" Called a woman from the door of the bar. She looked to be late middle aged. Her brown hair was done up in a ponytail and he apron was sullied with beer and sauce stains from various meat dishes she had been serving to the bustling crowd inside. Her eyes widened as she laid them out into the dimly lit street. Standing before her was a large man, hands raised in the hair leaning back on his heels, a wide grin on his face.

She noted his short, shaggy reddish-brown beard. His hair was similar to his hair, shaggy but it wasn't long, yet still not short. His steel eyes seemed to pierce her like that of the tip of the two weapons he wore at his sides. His green and brown tunic seemed worn and tired, fraying near the hem of the neck and the bottom of the shirt. His pants were brown leather as were his boots that reached to a little under his knees.

"Hey, Mamma Mia!" Cried out Ard as he ran up the short steps and hugged the stunned owner of the bar. "It's been a while! I heard you were getting a shipment of something good!" He shouted, excited to see someone he knew closely.

"Ard? When did you get back?!" She questioned while returning the embrace, happy to see one of her best paying customers again. "You should have stopped by earlier, Chloe was working, she would have been happy to see you too." Said Mia. "Come in and grab a seat! Drinks are on you tonight!"

"Don't I always pay for my own drinks? I mean it's not really a deal or brown-nosing me by making me pay for all my booze. I might just go to another bar." Sniffed Ard, egging on a response.

"What other place get Alv Ale?" Mia replied dragging him in.

The bar was noisy, then again that was to be expected from the amount of people he had seen going in. Over to the left a two large tables were pushed together to help a large party sit together. He noticed a red-haired goddess trying to grab onto a blonde girl.

"Loki's found a new favorite I see?" Ard commented to himself. Mia just turned her head over her shoulder and looked saddened for the poor girl.

"Take a seat here at the counter, I'll grab you something to drink." Mia commanded him, he obliged noting that his favorite corner seat, the one with the nick he had carved into it along with his name one drunken night was left fairly dusty, as if no one was ever sitting there. Mamma Mia returned carrying two stout glasses, both of which were foaming to the brim.

"I see you've saved me a seat."

"I wouldn't let anyone take that spot, after all you own it since you bought the stool after you carved it up!" Laughed Mia. "This isn't something I do often but I'm going to sit here awhile with you and drink. Deal with it, 'kay? I know you like drinking alone, but I want to hear some stories." She said, eager to get his money in her pocket.

Time passed quickly for the both of them, and before they knew it the time was already ten at night.

A drunk customer stood and called out, "Mia! The hell you doing, I want some service here!" He yelled out in a slur, slamming his fist onto the table. Syr was by the table looking like she didn't know what to do, while still trying to soothe the drunken man.

"If you want service as a server! I'm busy here!" She blared at the man from over her shoulder. "If you're going to get violent, get the fuck out! This is a place for eating and drinking, not fighting! Take your problem outside!" This only enraged the drunken man further who flipped the table, cutting off Syr so she couldn't try and stop him. He walked towards Mamma Mia with quiet determination. Mamma Mia started to rise from her seat behind the bar but Ard stopped her.

"I'll handle it Mia, just enjoy the show." Ard said quietly.

"Ard if you break anything, you'll…" She started to say in an annoyed angry tone.

"I know, I know. You'll bust me a new one and I'll have to pay for the damages. I know." He said somber, upset that he wouldn't have time for a fifth drink.

The drunken man finally reached the bar counter and slammed a fist onto the counter top, smashing it with a mighty stroke that broke it into two. "How'd you like that big guy?" He said, starkly in his drunken slur. "I'm at level three, what do you think you can do? I've never seen you before. New bastard trying his luck at glory, or just a little bitch who can't get her pus…" He started until Ard grabbed him by the hem of his shirt, lifting him a solid foot and a half in the air.

"Now listen to me you fucking bastard. This is a classy drinking establishment, and I was catching up with an old friend. Now fuck off if you know what's good for you." He said, his eyes hidden in the shadow of his downcast face. Ard dropped the man who stumbled and hit his shoulder on a stool as he fell.

"Ah, that hurt you cheeky bastard! I'm going to fucking tear you apart, you and that bitch!" Raged the drunk, slurring his speech until it could barely be called coherent language. He rose and grabbed his dirk and thrusting himself forward with great speed.

Ryuu was watching from behind the bar near the backroom door where she had been doing dishes until she heard the commotion. She moved forward but was stopped by Mia as she raised an arm.

"He said he'd handle it. Don't tell me you forgot him now?" She said with a bit of sarcastic wit and a slight malicious tone. Ryuu now looked closer at the man about to be impaled.

"Is that…?" She stammered and rushed forward, the arm now not enough to block her fury.

The drunk man slashed left and right with his dirk yet hit nothing as Ard swayed to and fro to avoid the lethal blade. All of a sudden he heard someone land to the ground to his left. He looked to see what was going on only to see Ryuu land from vaulting over the bar. Mia trying desperately to stop her.

"You bastard!" Yelled Ryuu as she rushed forward and threw a mighty punch with all her strength into his face, which in turn, sent Ard flying through the air and through the double doors.

Everybody stopped. The drunk was wide eyed and dropped his knife. He'd just seen Ryuu kill a man he had been trying to kill. The large party of the Loki familia stopped and looked to the door which laid in splinters. No one could have survived that blow to the face, that was a blow that might as well have been from an orc's landform but being used by a Goliath.

"Holy shit." Said a light-grayed hair man with amber eyes, "That was… Amazing!" He laughed at the poor man's misfortune. Never having really liking that weak people existed.

"Bete… Shut up." Said a yellow haired Pallum.

"Well, I don't know what he did but, admit it. That was a good punch Finn!" Said the man that he had called Bete.

Ryuu was still holding her fist out breathing heavily, looking at the floor from the spot she had punched Ard from.

"HEY RYUU! THE HELL!" A man's voice called out from outside. A hand reached into the bar and held the door frame. "I'm the one that's going to have to pay to get this fixed!" Called out Ard, looking into the bar. The stunned crowd looked at him with a look of amazement and wonder as Ard wiped the dripping crimson blood from his face.

The patron's eyes were wide, not understanding how anyone could have survived that punch. Ard strolled inside the bar. "Mia, I'm not paying for those, just saying." He said shrugging away the blame and any sort of connection he had to the splintered doors lying in the street.

"Ard, why are you here?" Whispered a very angry Ryuu. Her body shaking with anger and tears. "Why now?"

"Well isn't that obvious? I wanted some of my favorite ale, and this is the only place to get some." He replied. He knew it wasn't the answer she was looking for, but it was the only honest one he could give. Ryuu walked passed Ard and out the door, once she was outside some patrons went to see where she'd gone, but she had already disappeared.

"Ardorn! What the hell did you do to Ryuu before you left?!" Yelled Mamma Mia.

Many of the patrons, not wanting to get caught up in anything to do with this squabble quickly left. Including the Loki Familia.

"I have no clue. But then again she never really liked me much after I missed the funeral. I'm pretty sure she was just upset that I didn't go because of her sister." Ard said somberly. "Hey, do you have a…" he started to ask when Mia threw him a small wet washcloth.

"What do you mean?"

"You know I was seeing her sister. You know what happened to her familia. I didn't go to the funeral, nor was I there with them that day. I was here remember?"

And in a rush memories he thought he'd forgotten came flooding back to him. A single tear rolled down his face.

"Mia," Ard said tossing a large bag of valis on the undamaged part of the bar top, "Bring me a barrel, I need to drown a few things."

"The doors?" Questioned an irritated Mamma Mia. In response, he only threw another bag onto the counter, this one containing a small quantity of jewels from the mountains.

After that, he blacked out.


	3. Chapter 3: The Fallen

****Brace yourselves, this one is a bit longer than the previous ones.****

Chapter Three of, the Unknown Adventurer: The Fallen

Ard awoke to the sound of a bustling market street below a second floor window. The bright light outlining the shutters that covered the window. He was lying in a soft bed in a small wooden room. The red woolen blanket was making him sweat onto the bedding. " _At least I wasn't passed out in the street_ ," He thought. He moved his left hand over his face, questioning why he couldn't see out of his left eye. His hand came across bandages covering roughly half his face; he also noticed his beard was gone.

"Why do I have bandages on my face?" Questioned Ard, trying to remember what had occurred last night. His mind was a fuzzy mess, he had no clue where he was; the last thing he remembered was going to get a drink. His hangover finally caught up with him as his head throbbed.

Knocking. There was knocking at the door to the small room.

"Ard, you awake?" Came a loud, fuzzy, painful voice from the other side.

"Argh, not so loud!" He called, trying to be quiet himself. He walked to the door and opened it. Outside stood Mamma Mia, still in her uniform, cleaning a mug.

"Glad to see you up. Do you know how hard it was to get your ass up these stairs?" She complained, smiling at his haggard expression. She noted his bloodshot eye and the glazed look in it. "Too much sauce?" she implied.

"Maybe." He said, gripping his head; carefully of holding his injured side of his face.

"Well clean yourself up before coming down; people don't want to go to a bar to see a grungy guy with a hangover." She said, hinting at his abysmal state of dress and current hygiene as she walked away. Ard quickly reached out a hand and grabbed her left arm. This was a mistake that caused his head to throb terribly.

"What happened last night?" He questioned in pain.

"You got into a scrape, got drunk, passed out."

"But what happened?"

"Ryuu happened." She told him, rolling her eyes.

"She was here last night? Why, I didn't think she liked to eat or drink out."

"She works here you fucking dolt!" She exclaimed, pulling her arm out of his grip. "I've got to get back to work, I'll see you downstairs." Mamma Mia said, changing her tone to a more compassionate and understanding one.

He unwrapped the bandages from his face as carefully as he could. It was nice to not have to shave himself with a hangover. Ard looked into the small mirror, his left eye was swollen and heavily bruised, a clotting cut under his brow.

"That's going to leave a nasty mark for a while, oh wait it already did." Ard commented to no one in particular, just feeling better at making a witty joke to himself. He sighed at the wound, annoyed that it was there. He could slightly see out of his left eye, but it was kind of blurry. His head started to throb again and he fell to his knees.

"Shit, I should probably go to the apothecary. Probably have a concussion." He held his head in both hands, the pain incredibly numbing as much as that made sense to him. He raised himself to his feet, as painful as it was. Ard washed his face and body with the water in the basin before him under the mirror. The sweat and grime from the previous night just washing away. As he finished drying his face and body he took a closer look at his face.

His angular jaw already had morning stubble, or the person who shaved him did a shit job, either or. His nose, which was already crooked, seemed to be more crooked, hell it might even be broken he thought. The scar along his chin was a testament from a time he used to go into deeper floors of Ryuu's familia.

The memories of last night came rushing back. The drunken man with the dirk, Ryuu vaulting over the bar and socking him in the face, sending him flying through the sturdy spruce doors. The way she walked past him, trying to hold her tears back, and failing. The memories of her sister. The memories of his tears mixing with the blood on his face that dripped slowly, pooling onto the countertop, only to roll, cascading down to the floor. The dripping still sounded in his ears. The barrel of ale he drank or nearly all of it anyway. From there, there were no memories.

"Oh, that's what happened." He said to himself quietly, feeling moisture accumulate in his eyes once again. The tears did not fall this time; he denied them that right, wiping them away with his forearm. Ard took his clothes and carefully wiggled into them. He proceeded to the window and opened the shutters letting in the bright noon-day sunlight. The room flooded with it, the dimly lit room became a shining sanctuary. Ard covered his eyes, the hangover causing him more pain due to the intense light.

"I should probably leave, I don't want Ryuu to see me like this, she'll feel a lot worse than me, I'm sure. Besides, I just bring back bad memories she'd rather forget." He said as he climbed into the window sill, readying himself to jump to the ground below.

"Wait!" Cried out a woman from behind him. He turned his head to see Chloe standing in the doorframe. She quickly adjusted her hair and smiled at him, strutting as she walked towards him. "You came and saw Mamma Mia and Ryuu, but you leave before I get a chance to play with you? You naughty little cheater. It's been two years!" She said seductively.

"Chloe, not so loud…" Ard said through the pain of his throbbing head.

"Oh, sorry, but I can't help it, you look sexier now than ever before. And you can't blame a little cat for wanting to play." She said coming ever closer.

"You've been trying to get your claws into me for years, learn to give up every now and then." Ard said, annoyed at the constant harassment.

"Now, that's uncharacteristic of you! You're the one that told me, 'Never give up, never give in.' those are your words… to me… to everyone you ever met. When did you start giving up on never giving up?" Chloe said trying to imitate his voice for the quote he said to her so long ago.

"Never did, I just regret telling it to a pervert."

"That's cold."

"You've got fur to keep you warm, you'll be fine."

"Why are you so mean, you didn't complain that one time after you heard about…"

"I was drunk and upset. Don't you even dare bring that up either. If anything, you took advantage of me." Said Ard, his tone rising with anger, which he tried to suppress.

"I told you then that we shouldn't, but you were so cute when you begged." She retorted, a devilish smile creasing on her face. "One more time, please. It'll be worth it."

"Never again Chloe, the first time was enough of a mistake." His head hung low, his voice heavy and catching in his throat. He looked up to see Chloe leaning in, her face dangerously close to his. Ard leaned back, further out the window, one foot raised onto the sill and the other hanging outside above the street.

Chloe leant back and crossed her arms. "Fine, if not now, you'll be mine later. That I am sure of." She said haughtily. "Oh before you go, you over paid for the doors apparently." She said, tossing a small pouch of valis to him, which Ard deftly plucked out of the air with one hand.

"Thanks Chloe. I'll see you around I suppose, Ryuu and Mia too. And could you do me a favor?" Ard replied.

"Only if it's a sexual one."

"Funny. Say thanks to Mia for me for letting me stay the night and patching me up." With that being said Ard leaned out the window and let go of the frame dropping to the ground ten feet below him. With a dull thud Ardorn landed on one knee striking the pavement as he put a hand down to steady himself.

"It seems he got away again." Chloe said to herself, leaning her torso over the window sill to watch him walk away. "He'll be back when he realizes that Mamma Mia kept his weapons. Yeah, he'll be back." She lightly giggled. "Oh how I enjoy teasing him."

"You shouldn't."

Chloe turned quickly, startled by Ryuu who was standing not less than three feet before her. "Ryuu, I thought you took the day off. What are you doing up here?"

"I came to talk to Ard, but I think it's a little late now." Ryuu replied.

"He'll…"

"I already know, they're with me." Ryuu said cutting off Chloe. "Mamma Mia wants you to get back to work you know, she'll be angry if you don't hurry." On that note Chloe quietly left the room leaving Ryuu alone in the room. She moved to the window to see if she could see Ardorn, but he had already gone down another street.

Ard held the right side of his head; the throbbing was still pretty bad. He made his way through the winding streets looking for the apothecary, asking anyone that he saw for directions. Eventually he found himself standing before Daedalus Street.

"Well it's been awhile since I've been here. I wonder if Sula is still here. He's always been making strange things to help people with things." Thought Ard, thinking of the old apothecary he used to visit before he left the city two years ago. He shambled down the labyrinthine area for what seemed like hours before he found a familiar square. Or what was left of it, the fountain was shattered. He looked up to see the noon day sun passing a way past noon. He guessed it was around one o'clock.

"Hey you, standing there." Said an old woman's voice. Ard turned looking around the square, there was no one. "Up here." Said the voice. Ard looked up around the edges of the balconies, scanning them. He soon found a gray haired woman in an old shawl looking at him.

"Yes? Do you need something?" Ard said, trying to block the sun from getting into his eyes.

"No, but you need an apothecary instead of being lost in this mess." She said called down to him laughing a little.

"I'm looking for Sula's place. Where would that be?" He inquired trying to sound polite through the pain of looking into the sun behind her.

"Sula? What do you want that boobie for? He's a quack!" She cackled in laughter, wiping a tear from her eye.

"He's my regular go to."

"Well, why can't you find him then!?" She laughed out clutching her sides.

"I haven't been in town for a while."

"Must've been for more than a year then. He went to one of the gods places to be their apothecary. Got fired though. Crackpot as he was. Lost all his business after that, poor dear." She said sarcastically.

"Then, he's gone?" Ard asked, disappointment welling in his chest.

"No."

"Look lady stop wasting my time!" He yelled, which he regretted as it caused his head to pound even harder now.

"Aren't you wasting your own time by talking to an old lady instead of looking for me, Ardorn?" She said, her face changed to panic. "I mean him… kid."

"I never told you my name… and you? Wait… Sula… no. Nope, you can't be Sula. Later lady." Ard said, confused as to what was going on.

"Ard wait it's me!" She cried out, she hustled to the edge of the balcony and drank something from a small vial. Suddenly she collapsed and started writhing. Her bones readjusting, her hair growing shorter and hair growing on her chin. Finally up she stood, and where she was stood Sula. "See?" He said as if nothing had happened, only smiling down to the horrified Ard.

"What the fuck was that." He said quickly turning around and trying to find a way out quickly.

"ARD! Seriously, you should see me in my shop, it's just down below." Cried out a distraught Sula as Ard started to take a quick step, he feel to a knee, pain searing the left side of his face. He groaned and mumbled under his breath. Sula had descended through his shop to reach him and took him by the shoulders.

"Can you walk, boy?" asked a concerned Sula.

"Barely." Ard whispered.

After a few minutes of struggling, the two men got into the shop and had Ard in a chair. Sula went around gathering a few herbs together, poultices, creams, his mortar and pestle as well as his scales.

"Got anything for a hangover?" Asked Ard, his head pounding.

"Third shelf, blue vial, gr…" Replied the old man.

"This one? The gold trim?" Answered Ard, putting it back and drinking all of it. "Blah, tastes like piss mixed in mud."

"Wait gold, I said green! Don't tell me you drank…" Sula said, turning at high velocity to see Ard place the vial down. "ARDORN! That was a failed magical potion! It fucks around with your magical auras… And it gives you some pretty bad bowel problems." He cried out flinging things out of the way. "I haven't come up with a way to reverse the effects either. Though I suppose if you drank another later you might get your original magic back… Maybe."

"Why did you leave that out… next to a cure for hangovers? That's illogical, even for you!" Ard complained, his stomach growling. "Oh gods, you have a bucket?" He asked.

"A bucket won't help; hang your ass in the alley over the sewage grate." He said calmly, the first victim of that potion proved that it was the only way to deal with the effects. Ard rushed through the door into the back alley beside the shop. Time flew by quickly for him, the potion causing him to vomit and defecate into the sewer.

The door to the shop closed, awakening the sleeping shopkeeper. He looked up to see Ard, his lips chapped and burnt from stomach acid being pushed over them. The hobbling man, shuffled to a seat. His eyes were red, drool dripping down his chin. His face was starting to get covered in a rash, as were his arms and torso.

"Well that's new. Either you're allergic to the components… or maybe after it settles for a month in the dark it causes other symptoms?" Questioned the apothecary to himself. He rose and looked closer at the rash. "Magic aura degeneration perhaps? No, no, there'd be more blisters. Oh, this looks like, wait here a moment." Commanded the small gray haired man as he went to the large bookshelf and flipped through several books. "Ah! Oh, wait… no, not this." He said disappointed. A few minutes later he exclaimed, "Ha! Found it. This looks like a case from my earlier years, glad I kept my apprentice notes. Yes, Ard I'm sorry but…"

"Sula, if this thing is going to kill me, I'm going to kill you." Ard threatened rising from his low seat, which he regretted as he felt as if he was going to vomit again. "At least the hangover is gone."

"It is? Well good to know. But no, you won't die however, Ard, I'm sorry, you're no longer going to be able to use any other magic. There are two powerful auras inside of you fighting for supremacy. Both seem quite deadly. I would assume fire and maybe lightning? Who knows… but you won't be able to use your magic, at least until it clears. And even then it'll only be whichever aura was stronger and won." Answered Sula, reading from his notes.

"So no harm done then?" He asked.

"Oh no, far from it! You should probably drink something to avoid dehydration and something to help with your throat. I'm sure it must be sore from the stomach acids. I'll give you some tonics and get you a couple glasses of water." Sula said exiting the room.

Ard took this moment to look around the rundown hovel the old man called a shop. Dried plant leaves were hung in glass enclosed frames. Lavender and garlic hung from the rafters to dry. A variety of pots with different colored lids lined shelves and tables alike.

Ard called into the next room from where he was sitting, "Hey, how's your wife been? She still making that port wine roast?" There was no response.

Sula came back shortly after, his face looking slightly sullen. "She passed on shortly after you left." His voice was tinged with sadness and regret.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea." He apologized. Sula set a few vials of tonics on the table and a tray with a large pitcher of water and two glasses on it.

"Not your fault." His voice was quiet, eyes downcast. "Let met whip you up that poultice for that cut and those bruises now!" He exclaimed, slapping his cheeks briskly.

"Yeah, sure. Thank you. For everything."

"We're family, it's no problem. After all, only good quack is a quack that helps his god kid." Sula replied smiling over his shoulder as he worked.

Hours passed before the tincture was done and applied to a poultice. Sula rewrapped Ard's face in bandages and gave him one final tonic to stave off infection. It wasn't quite dark yet, but the sun was lowering its head towards the horizon to the west, casting everything into twilight-like darkness. The lowlight of a few hanging lanterns kept the small area lit, barely, but it was still enough to see by.

"How much do I owe you, Sula?" Ard asked, appreciative of all the old man had done for him. He pulled out his small pouch of left over valis that Chloe had returned to him. "This is all I've got for now, but if you need more I'll get it to you."

"I know you would Ard. Look Ardorn, you don't owe me, you've saved my ass and my shop how many times? I mean really, I lost count, bailing me out when I need money. If anything I still owe you." Said the old man smiling, thinking back to when Ard was a regular customer. His only one for a long time in fact.

"Sula…" Ard said, grateful. He stood and started to retrieve the bag of money, but instead of putting at his belt, he placed it on the stool he was sitting on, pushing it under the table to be found later. "Thank you. I've got to go though. I'll see you soon. Take care." He said as he went through the old oak door back into the labyrinth of Daedalus Street.

It was past midnight when Ardorn found his way out of the maze like alleys. He came out near the guild, I wonder if she's still working there, thought Ard, thinking of the old woman that was he returned his magic stones too. Probably not… She was already in her late seventies. He looked to Babel, viewing its outline against the starry sky. Ard reached to scratch his back, that's when he noticed it.

"You've got to be fucking…" He spat out. "Damn it, I've been running around all day and I didn't even notice I was missing my swords?" He mumbled, outraged at himself. He looked down the street in the direction of the Hostess of Fertility. "Don't tell me I left them there." He groaned. Realizing he wouldn't be able to retrieve them until the sun rose. "I could go vent in the dungeon." He thought to himself, but then he recalled Sula's words to him.

"I'm sorry, you're no longer going to be able to use any other magic. You won't be able to use your magic, at least until it clears. And even then it'll only whichever aura was stronger and won." Rang Sula's voice in his head.

"Suppose I shouldn't." Ard mumbled kicking a piece of broken pot down the street in disappointment. "Guess I'll wait outside the bar."

Ardorn walked down the dark street, silent and alone. It was calming for him reminding him of his time in the mountains. Only a few lights were on, most of which were red. He saw some women in the alleys who would start to approach, but they were trained to look for purse strings. He didn't have any, so they soon backed away uninterested. He was glad for that.

He finally arrived at the Hostess of Fertility. There was a light on in the room he had jumped out of. Ard scratched his head wondering who would be up at this hour.

A woman's silhouette appeared at the window. It only took a moment for him to realize who it was. The figure called down to him.

"I've been waiting for you Ard."

"Ryuu."

 **** Hope you guys and gals didn't mind the longevity of this particular chapter, as well as the lack of anything interesting happening other than drinking a failed potion. Next chapter will be out soon I'm sure!***

 **As always, never stop believing in stories!**

 **-Jaw112211**

 **Random Tangent**

 ****WOW! That was a caffeine induced montage of everything. I really wanted to try and extend the amount I write per story because I sort of realized that if I update this only once a week, and there is only about a page of words, people aren't going to take the time to read it. So I will try to keep the word count around 2500-3500 for the main story part, not including author notes.**

 **So I know I introduced a few more characters, especially Sula, which is really funny. I used his name because I said why not… but then I looked it up in the dictionary. The result seemed appropriate. Complete coincidence, but a hilarious one nevertheless.****


	4. Chapter 4: A Long Talk, Long Overdue

****So it's been a short while and I must say I am happy with this chapter. It brings out a major piece of Ard's past and a little bit of his humanity, at least that's what I think. And I must say, for a story I thought up on the spot, I am really happy writing this, even if I sporadically update it. This is a nearly all talk chapter, so I hope you guys and gals don't mind. Enjoy! Please Leave a review so I can get a feel for how people are responding to it.****

Chapter Four: The Unknown Adventurer: A Long Talk, Long Overdue

"I've been waiting for you, Ard." Called the silhouette from the lit window above him.

"Ryuu." He said looking up at her. Ryuu disappeared from the window. Shortly after Ard heard scratching coming from the short term replacement doors. One of them opened and Ryuu's head poked out.

"Come on in." She said leaving the door open for him.

"Thanks?" He said, wondering what she meant.

"Put the bar back on the door."

"What?" He asked, not understanding.

"The lock bar…" She said, pointing to a long board resting against the wall. He quickly, as he could so he could follow her. She was already heading up the stairs to the second floor. He hurried to catch up, but she was already up there in the room. Ard knocked on the half closed door, just in case.

"Come in already, it's your room anyway." She called out to him. Ard pushed open the door to see her standing by the window again. She was in her evening wear which comprised itself of a long dark green shirt that fell below he hips and long black stockings. Ard wasn't even sure if she was wearing anything else under her shirt. Two years ago, Ryuu had barely come into herself as a woman yet, bow she looked like her sister. Finally Ryuu turned towards him. "Oh my god Ard! What happened to you?!" She cried out looking at his bruised and rash covered body.

"Well half of it was you, remember?" He said, exasperated.

"I knew the face was my fault but the rash?"

"Sula." Ard answered shrugging. "Well, and myself." He corrected. Ryuu looked at him worried. "Ryuu I'm fine."

"Are you su…"

"Yes." He said cutting her off. What did you need that you stayed up for?" Ard asked moving to a chair in the corner.

Ryuu was silent for a long time. However after a few moments she made her way to the bed and sat at the foot of it. "Ard I wanted to apologize." She whispered, her voice was sad and contemplating.

"For what?" He questioned, "This?" He pointed to his face. "This is nothing new. Barely hurt me at all, just a scratch really." He laughed, trying to show her that it wasn't a big deal.

They sat silently for a very long time. Somewhere along the line, they both fell asleep in their respective places. Ard on his chair, slumping over to one side, Ryuu on the bed sprawled out.

The sun arose and was set a quarter way into the sky when they awoke. Ard awoke first and saw a sleeping Ryuu on the bed, her arms sprawled above her head. He stood and kicked the bed frame to wake her. She flung herself forward, immediately sitting up at the edge of the bed. She looked to her left and saw Ard standing there, looming above her.

"Morning kid." Ard said looking down to her.

"I'm no longer a child Ardorn." She scowled at him as she stood. "You aren't looking like shit, as much as you did last night." She said, annoyed at him still.

"Really?" He said looking himself over and noticed she was right. The rash had calmed down a bit, at least it had stopped spreading. "You're right." He said dumbfounded. "I figured this was going to take longer to get rid of."

"Ard, why weren't you there?" Ryuu asked, changing the topic completely away from the present.

"Why wasn't I where?" He asked, trying to play dumb, not wanting to be dragged back into a past he'd rather forget.

"Three years ago. When she died." Ryuu said demanding a response acceptable to the severity of the question.

"I thought that was what you meant…" Sighed Ard, sitting back down, but this time on the bed. "I was here. Drinking." He answered, knowing it was not a suitable answer.

"That's a lie." Ryuu snapped at him. "I've talked to Mia, she said you weren't here that day, you came the day after you found out."

' _Damn it'_ , thought Ard. _'I could've sworn Mia wouldn't tell her that much.'_  
"I was out buying something. But it's worthless now. Just a hunk of shiny metal." Ard confessed.

"What?" Ryuu asked confused. "You buying something? I thought you just went with whatever you found in the dungeon at that time."

"I did. But I don't think I could get one of the things I wanted without buying it."

"What was it?"

Ard reached into his shirt and pulled on a long chain, at the tip was a golden ring.

"I was going to propose." He breathed, his voice shaking a couple tears rolling down his face.

"That's why you weren't… You weren't there, because you wanted to surprise her?"

Ard only nodded his head, lowering it to look at the floor. They again remained silent for a very long time, noon came and went before either said anything.

"Ard" "Ryuu" They both said at the same moment. Ard motioned for her to go first.

"Ard, I'm sorry, for two years I've been angry at you. For the completely wrong reasons. I always thought that you were here, I mean why would you have lied to me, at least that was my thought process back then." She said, tone somber, voice heavy. She was looking out the window now, the sky a deep cerulean blue.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry, I was out when I should have been there. I'm sorry that I lied. I'm sorry I never visited their graves. I'm sorry for a lot of things." He replied, letting the tears fall to the floor. Memories of the one he loved flowing through him.

"You know, this is the first time I've ever seen this side of you before." Ryuu said moving her hand to his shoulder.

There was a creaking at the door. "Not the first time for me." Said a woman's voice from the freshly opened the door.

The pair on the bed looked to the door, leaning in its dark frame was Chloe. The cat person was holding herself up with one arm, her hand against the hard wooden frame.

"Chloe what are you doing here?" Ryuu asked, suddenly aware of how she looked sitting next to Ard. She sat more properly, and placed a hand in her lap to help offset any embarrassment.

"So you'll sleep with her sober but not me?" Chloe teased leaning into the room.

"It's not what you…" Began Ryuu.

"Fuck off Chloe, you know that didn't happen. Stop messing around, what is it you want?" Interrupted Ard, cutting Ryuu off quickly.

"You, what else." Chloe said licking her lips.

"We're talking, and I'd prefer you not being here Chloe." Ard said in response to her very unoriginal answer.

"But I want to be here. After all I do love you." She said hurt moving her right hand to her left arm and holding it there. It was rare for Chloe to admit it, even way back when. But it was true, she'd been an admirer of his before he started seeing Ryuu's older sister. "So? Can I stay?"

"No." Ryuu butted in, tired of being left out of the conversation.

"But…" Chloe said timidly, eyes starting to fill with water.

"It's fine with me if she stays, she'll probably be bored and leave anyway." Ard interjected.

"Or she'll try to seduce you again." Ryuu retorted, snorting.

"I promise I'll be quiet and stay out of the way." She said wiping a tear that started to trickle down. Ryuu looked at Chloe, who normally was a bundle of energetic happiness, who now looked sad and pathetic.

"Only if you do that." Ryuu said, crossing her arms.

"So I can stay?"

"I suppose." Ryuu stated. Chloe immediately jumped onto the bed and crawled to sit beside Ardorn and latched her arms around one of his. Ard leaned away but was pulled closer. There was no escape for him now. Ryuu looked surprised but soon recollected herself of her cool and collected posture.

"So what were you talking about before?" Chloe asked, eager to discover what it was. Ard remained silent, the contact wasn't bothering him, he neither hated it nor did he enjoy it however.

"It is nothing for you to be concerned with." Ryuu said in a deflated tone. "We've finished talking about it anyway. There is nothing else interesting that we'll be talking about."

"Aren't you going to apologize for punching him in the face? Or have you done that already?" Chloe teased, giggling.

"Chloe, stop making life hard for Ryuu." Ard said looking at her, disappointed in her games. "You're what? Twenty now? Stop being such a child."

"Sorry…" Chloe spoke, timidly looking down at the floor where Ard's tears had stained the floor. Hours passed as the trio bickered.

"Hey Ryuu, I was wondering where …" Ard started, he paused as his stomach growled loudly in protest to his rising hunger. "Oh, sorry. I was wondering where my weapons were?"

Chloe raised her hand to her mouth and giggle, "Are you hungry? If you want I could make you something, or, you could just have me." Moving her free hand to his chest and running a finger around it seductively.

"Chloe, aren't you supposed to be working?" Ryuu said quickly, uncomfortable with the open display of affection.

"Syr takes long breaks and skips out on work, why can't I?" She retorted.

"Chloe, go to work or I'll tell Mia you were out gambling again. And lost your last wages." Ard scolded.

"But I haven't gambled in the last week! I swear!" Chloe stammered.

"Go back to work Chloe, I'm sure Mamma Mia is looking for you." Ryuu said smiling, happy that Ard was taking her side. She didn't really have a problem with Chloe, other than when she gambled or when she didn't do anything but flirt. Other than that, Ryuu thought she was a genuinely nice girl.

Chloe unlatched from Ard and shambled towards the door. Her tail and ears hung low, utterly disappointed.

"Shall we go get a late lunch then?" Asked Ryuu after Chloe had exited the door.

"I've got no money Ryuu, spent the last of it." Ard said holding his stomach that was crying out in pain.

"My treat… as a way for me to apologize for punching you in the face." She said looking away, embarrassed that she hadn't apologized for that earlier.

"I have my pride still, no. I will not let any woman pay for my meal. Nor will I allow you to pay for yours. My principles will not allow it." Ard said. He didn't have a problem with women paying for their own meals, if they were alone. But he firmly believed that if a man was accompanying a woman to eat, it was his duty to pay for his as well as hers. "So, where are my weapons?"

"Ard, no. You are in no shape to go to the dungeon." Ryuu interjected, standing and looking at him.

"It'll be fine, I'll have you with me!" He said smiling.

"Ard I'm technically not allowed in the dungeon." She responded solemnly, casting her gaze to the side.

"What? I can't believe that. Why!?" Ard Questioned, confused. He'd never heard of anyone every being barred from entering Babel's lower floors. "That's insane." Refusing to believe what she just said.

"It happened shortly after the ambush. After my familia's goddess left Orario. I destroyed an entire familia, just for revenge. Then Syr found me and brought me to Mamma Mia. That's the short version anyway."

"You. You destroyed an entire familia? Gods Ryuu, that is impressive. Lil' Ryuu got strong these last few years."

"Still no stronger than you though apparently." She retorted, brushing off his teasing.

"Still… My weapons? I'd like to get my hands around them again." He said anxiously opening and closing his hands. He felt the need to scratch the blistering rash that was slowly fading, but he resisted the urge knowing it might cause worse damage. Ryuu sighed and stood, moving to the side of the bed and reached underneath the raised hay mattress. When she withdrew her hand, she was holding a bundle wrapped in a large soft cloth.

"These?" She asked, looking at them as if they couldn't be called weapons. She was quite partial to her wooden staff and knives. "How much are they worth to you?" She teased, knowing Ard hated people playing around with his weapons.

"Enough to wallop someone's little sister." HE teased back, though much more harshly. Ryuu laughed, knowing something like that would be his response. She handed him the bundle.

"Don't forget them next time. OR Syr might give them to that 'little Rookie' she's been favoring. I have to say, I'm fond of him too." She said, saying the last part quietly to herself. She considered how he played a role in her life, she decided it was no more than just a good friend. She was lost deep in thought when Ard spoke.

"'Little Rookie'?" Ard said, wondering who got that nickname. "So who's the guy?" He asked his hand on his chin.

"Ryuu?" He called again. "Ryuu!" He said, giving her a shoulder a small shove. She jerked herself backed to attention and gasped startled.

"What!" She declared, surprised.

"The 'Little Rookie' who is he?" Ard again, slightly annoyed.

"Oh, Bell. He got to level two in only what, around two or three months. Beat a Minotaur at level one. By himself. I hear it was very impressive. He also beat the Black Goliath, though, everyone helped on that one in Riviera. I saw everything there, it was amazing." She went on, speaking highly of the nicknamed boy.

"Bell?" Ard pursed his lips and ruffled his brow. "I've heard that name before… When was it?" HE pondered to himself. He shuffled through his memories from the past week, flipping through each of the concurrent one. "White hair, red eyes?" He asked.

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"Ran into him in the dungeon before I came here." Ard nonchalantly said as if it were nothing, which was nothing for him. There was running in the hall. The dull thud of small feminine feet sounded into the room. The pair looked to the hall in time to see Syr run past the door. She seemed eager.

"Bell must be done in the dungeon today." Ryuu commented. "You want to go meet him properly?" She looked to where Ard was sitting. But he was already at the door.

"Aren't you coming Ryuu? After all, it'd be awkward if I introduced myself as your acquaintance if you aren't there." He said cheerfully.

 ****I hoped you enjoyed it! It was a long bit of dialogue that wound up revealing a lot. PLEASE leave a review, it'll help a lot. Thank you for all the support this has been garnering as well from the people following this story, I decided the day I posted the first chapter, that even if it was for only one person, I would write this story until the end.****

 **As always, Never stop believing in stories.**


	5. Chapter 5: Locked

****So, just in case you haven't read the Light Novels or the Manga, the character Ard is going to be fighting is a level six adventurer. And he is NOT, I repeat, NOT and OC. He is an established character. If you want to look it up I suggest the Wikia on DanMachi, as it is very accurate from what I have seen so far.****

Chapter Five: Locked

The woman looked down to see her new target walking with his small party. A supporter and a smith. They were good at what they did though, she gave them that. Her hair passed down over her shoulders and down her back. The hair helped to hide what her outfit didn't. She raised her left hand to her cheek, her pinky running along the underside of bottom lip, the rest splayed out across her face, a small 'V' surrounding her left eye.

"Should we start our next move?" Said a man standing in the shadows behind her.

"Not yet. It seems, my last toy came back." She said calmly.

"Last toy? That'd be…" He asked.

"Oh, that's right, you haven't met him yet have you. Why don't you head down to that bar the boy frequents? He's there right now."

"Am I going for the boy or for toy you mentioned?" He questioned, wanting to know what it was he was to do.

"My old toy. Cause a ruckus, but don't hurt anyone. Oh, and don't let him touch you with his hands." She laughed softly. "Or you'll die." She looked over her shoulder, knowing he had already left after the first order. "Oh well. I do hope he comes back in one piece." She went to her chair and sat. Preparing for the show to begin.

The room was smoky and smelled of caramelizing meats. The dusky glow of the fire in the corner added to the heat of the already warm day. Ryuu led the way towards a table that Syr was serving.

"So, lil' Lily. What did the haul look like today?" The red haired man with blue scarf asked.

"It was good thanks to you two." The supporter replied. She reached for her drink and had a long swallow.

"Syr can I get the special and some fried potatoes?" Asked Bell looking over the menu.

"Of course! It'll be right out!" She called bringing the order slip to Mia. The small group looked exhausted but happy. Their cloaks and faces were covered in dust and ash. Ard guessed they had returned from the middle floors. _'They probably went to floor thirteen, maybe fourteen?'_ Ryuu pulled up two seats while Ard hung back in the shadows.

"Hey Ryuu." Lily said setting her glass down.

"Hey." Bell and Welf both said at the same time.

"I've got someone I want you to meet." She said waving Ard over. He was almost there when the newly replaced doors were flung open, letting out the smoky air and letting in a fresh breeze. The bar seemed to let out an accumulated sigh of relief as the patrons finally retrieved some fresh air. In the door way stood a tall, lanky man, a spear hung on his back. As he entered, he had to duck under the doorway.

"I'm looking for someone. Just got back recently from what I heard." Said the man, his voice booming in the small area. All eyes were on him, Ard was the only one standing, and worse he was only a few meters away from the man.

"I got back recently from a trip." He said.

"You haven't forgotten your debt now have you?" Said the man. He didn't know if the man before him had a debt, but he was ordered to cause a scene.

"Nope. I remember all my debts." Ard replied.

"Good, then you best pay up."

"Nope."

"Why… why not?"

"Because I don't have a debt to you." Ard replied, a smile creasing his lips.

"The fuck you don't! You owe us big money dumbass. And I'm here to collect, if I don't it's my head that'll roll." Said the gargantuan man, pulling his spear out of its spot on his back.

"What's your name?" Asked Ard, wondering if he did in fact owe this man or his boss's money. The man held his spear in his right hand, the visor covering his eyes glimmered in the light of the fire.

"I'm the one asking the questions here bastard. You should have died in that dungeon or never came back."

"Brother? What are you doing here, leave!" Spoke a cat woman as she walked out of the back room holding a rag and a plate.

"Arnya, stay out of this bitch." Said her brother, vehemently.

"Allen, you've got to leave, Mamma Mia just got the place fixed. If you're going to fight, do it outside at least?" She scolded. "And don't call me a bitch you ass!" She yelled at him, throwing the plate at him. He swung his spear, the middle of the shaft shattered the plate, scattering the fragments towards some of the drinking patrons who duck under the cover of the tables.

"Allen was it? Maybe we should take this outside, it is rather crowded in here." Ard said, trying to get some more room to maneuver to help avoid that lethal looking spear of his.

"As you wish it doesn't matter where I kill you, you fucking cunt." Allen taunted. It didn't goad Ard into attacking any sooner though.

"Pardon me, but I don't trust you, after you." Ard motioned to the door. The spear wielding figure exited as did Ard.

The day was warm, it was past noon but couldn't have been past two in the afternoon. The bustling crowd made a circle around the man holding a spear, his stance ready. The crowd didn't stop to watch, they bustled along, only some of the more daring citizens stood to watch what would happen, many adventurers were curious. Knowing full well who Allen was.

Ard raised his arm as he exited the Hostess of Fertility. His rash shone brightly in the afternoon sun. He was glad he did as Allen lunged forward with great speed. He knew this was already going to be a tough fight, but he wasn't prepared for someone of this caliber.

"The first to strike wins, that's the saying bastard!" Cried out Allen, charging again and again. It was all Ard could manage to do just to dodge the attacks, let alone draw his own weapons.

"Is there any sense of fairness for you in this fight?" Ard taunted trying to get him to make a mistake. It didn't work.

"So, you know my name, but I still don't know yours. Tell me before I kill you!" Shouted Allen, his spear slashing downwards, catching Ard in the chest. Blood dripped from the spearhead. Allen drew his spear close and licked the red liquid. "You seem fairly weak, why is she so interested in you and that boy?!" He raged, upset that his goddess took an interest in these two.

"Ardorn!" Cried out Chloe from the door, Ryuu was standing beside her. The white haired boy and his party stood below the stairs.

"Ah, Ardorn's your name? I can't wait to tell her that you didn't live up to expectations."

"Who? What expectations?" He asked confused as to why this man wanted to fight.

Allen thrusted in his spear towards Ard repeatedly, trying to impale him. Ard leaned left and right, ducking and rolling out of the way. He definitely was being outclassed for the moment. He would never have stood a chance even like this two years ago. The spear thrusted past him and he grabbed it and tried to snap the wooden shaft. It didn't shatter, so he took advantage by swinging his free hand around and hitting Allen in the jaw, who staggered away.

There was Ard's chance, he drew his two weapons and readied himself. There was fire in his eyes, his grin was that of a feral beast. He was excited for this challenge. He already had his strategy.

"Hey Allen. I just want to tell you something about how I'm going to beat you."

Allen laughed, "You, beat me? Impossible, you aren't even in a familia! How can you hope to beat a level six?!" He retorted.

"Well then it won't matter then if I tell you or not. I'm going to throw both my weapons at you. Then I'm going to punch you. And then you'll be sent flying to somewhere at the opposite end of the city." Ard said smiling, showing the lack of concern he had for his current plight. Ardorn took the offensive this time, rushing in on the left side ringing the outskirts of his adversary's spear.

Allen responded by turning, the spearhead following Ard's every movement. His eyes flicked side to side, checking each of Ard's hands and feet for a tell he was about to attack. He seemed fairly quick even to the level six. Not as fast as he was however, he lunged the spear forward at a downward angle aiming for Ard's feet. Ard stopped moving the moment he saw the action Allen had taken. He planted one foot on the spear's head, restraining it in place and proceeded to run up along its length.

Ard leapt over his adversary, but he was ready for that having seen many people attempt this before. Allen released the spear and flipped forward using his heel to try and hit Ard's head as he flipped over him. Ard blocked the lethal kick with his bracer that he always wore on his right arm. The metal plating on the back of Allen's heel scrapped along the rusty metal on his forearm, sending sparks to fly into both of their faces. However, only Ard was affected as Allen was wearing his visor helmet.

Ardorn stumbled as he landed, hitting his left knee against the hard pavers on the road.

"Argh, shit." He said, the pain jarring his teeth. Allen took the opportunity to try and stab Ardorn in the back.

"Ardorn! Behind you!" Cried out Chloe, trying to warn him of the lethal threat that was directly behind him. But it was too late, Ard was pierced through the right shoulder. He managed to dodge a fatal blow.

"FUCK!" Cried Ardorn, the pain searing through his arm. He dropped his baselard as the spear was withdrawn.

"Sorry, you said something about beating me I believe?" Allen mocked.

"It's not over yet fucker." Ard said through gritted teeth. He retrieved his baselard and prepared himself once again. This time, knowing how well the man he faced moved about as well as his movement range. He grinned through the pain.

Chloe watched as Ard was stabbed in the shoulder, as Allen withdrew the spear she saw him talking, though was unable to make out what he said. All she knew was that he was laughing. She started to fly off towards the fight but Ryuu grabbed her and wouldn't release her.

"Ryuu let go! I've got to help him, you've got to help him! Please!" Chloe cried in Ryuu's arms latching onto her shoulders and looking over her own to watch as Ard stood.

"Chloe!" Ryuu shouted amongst the roaring of the crowd who was taking pleasure in this disgusting fight. "We'd just be in the way! Trust Ard! I didn't for two years, I'm placing my trust in him now. So should you." Ryuu reasoned.

"I do trust him! But look at him, he's hurt. He'll die at this rate! Let me go!" Chloe screamed hysterically. "Bell! Bell! Save him please!" She begged from Ryuu's arms.

"I… I… don't think I can." Bell stammered, never had he seen such an intense fight. I'd be in the way, probably even killed." He watched wide eyed, this battle a testament to the skill he lacked.

Ard was exchanging a flurry of blows with his assailant. The wound on his shoulder was deep and blood flowed out of it even when he didn't move it. But it was worse when he went to strike, blood spurted out, his shirt was becoming drenched in his own blood. He still hadn't been able to land a single hit. He knew it was about time to wrap this up. He knew he would suffer heavy consequences from doing this but he needed to use his technique.

Ardorn locked his stance, sights set on Allen. The sword was draped across his right arm, much like it was during his fight with the kobolds only a few days before. He sprinted towards his opponent, jumping into the air and spun flinging his sword to the left of his opponent. As Ard landed he chucked the baselard to the right of his opponent.

Allen saw through the trick, instead of dodging he stood stock still, the blade of the baselard scratched his cheek slightly. The sword spun past him missing entirely. He raised his left hand to his face and wiped the blood off his face.

"Below you!" Yelled Ard as he landed an uppercut into his gut. Allen coughed up black blood, his internal organs bleeding. "Blossom my flower of light! IMPACT!" Ardorn chanted, using the perfected form of his magic.

He wasn't even sure if it would work due to the potion he had drank at Sula's shop. Ardorn collapsed upon the ground, his rash writhing under his skin, blisters formed and popped at random. The rash spread and reduced rapidly, almost pulsating. Light seemed to emanate from the bleeding pores where the blisters popped.

Allen was laughing above the pitiful man. "Well, I honestly thought I'd be in trouble there, but you can't use magic at all can you?!" Allen laughed maniacally. "Do you see what happens when you fuck with me?!" He shouted at the crowd.

Ard continued to scream in pain, his face contorted at random as the magical aura's flowed freely through him. Suddenly it all stopped. Silence, there was no crowd. There was no enemy. There was no pain. He had no voice. No sight. There was only darkness.

Before him stood a woman. How he knew this he didn't know. He just did. Slowly he felt his eyes open. He saw her standing there. Ard moved his mouth but no words came out.

"Do you want to survive?" Asked the apparition. Her face slightly blurry, she seemed familiar. Ard moved his mouth but his words still refused to leave there solemn hovel.

So instead he nodded his assent, his will to live. His face remained stoic and his eyes held a steely gaze. Her face slowly became less blurry.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked him, he lips the only thing that was clear to him. Ard looked her over, unable to move his body. He could tell instantly from those lips though. Her face was no longer blurry.

He nodded again.

"You've chosen to live, but do you choose to grow? I doubt you'll see me soon, even if you wish to. Take the power in you. Use it as you see fit. Become stronger."

Ardorn gasped as all the pain subsided. Above him Allen was giving a speech to the crowd. Who were booing and hissing his mannerisms over the fallen.

"Do you see the consequences of fighting against someone stronger than you? Do you see the pathetic state this man is in? He will die, not from his spasms, but from my spear!" Allen raised his right hand, showing off the weapon that would be Ardorn's downfall. The crowd was no longer jeering at the boastful man. All their attention was on the bloodied man standing in the center of the circle.

Ardorn looked down to his body, his own blood covered his clothing, it was torn and ripped. "That's going to leave a stain." Ard laughed, coughing up his own blood. Allen turned and looked at the man before him. That hideous rash that was covering him was gone, his fists cackled with raw energy.

"It seems I get to have a little more fun with you, Ardorn."

**Okay so considering I just uploaded recently, I am really happy with this chapter. I really enjoyed writing this one. I think it is my favorite to date actually. However, I hope you guys and gals enjoy it and leave a review. As it helps me improve my writing. So if you liked it, YAY! If not, oh well I can't please everyone. Instead just look forward to the next chapter since I don't really have an upload schedule for this story. Also I think I'm going to have this go to about 20-25 chapters... and depending on how it ends... I might do a second story to wrap it up or I might not, but only because either 20 or 25 ended it.**

As always, never stop believing in stories!


	6. Chapter 6: Thunder

****The exciting conclusion to the fight that started last chapter! Hopefully you all like it! And a shout-out to chocolateman for giving me the idea to switch up the magic from fire to lightning or electricity, as Bell uses fire and Aiz uses wind. As of to date I don't know anyone that uses lightning, so again shout-out to him****

"It seems I get to have a little more fun with you, Ardorn."

"Seems the opposite to me." Ard replied, sarcastically mocking his voice.

"What are you, a child?" Allen questioned, laughing that Ard could say nothing after that.

Ard stumbled a slight bit, Allen took his chance to try and land a finishing blow. But time seemed slow to Ard, Allen was moving as if he were a snail or slug, running from the impending doom of a boy with a salt shaker. Ard grabbed the spear shaft right behind the spearhead mere milliseconds before it would have impaled his chest. Allen tried to pry the weapon loose, Ard's meaty hand would not budge.

"So, fucker, who's going to beat who again? Who's scared of me using magic?" Ard asked him, as a feral grin set into his face. His eyes were blank of all emotion, if anything they seemed dead. Allen for the first time in a long time felt fear for his life. Ard grabbed Allen by the shirt.

Allen was sweating, his eyes were hidden behind his visor-like helmet so they couldn't betray his own emotion. He swallowed his saliva and blood. And then he grinned.

"What can you do without your weap…?" Allen started to mock.

"This." Ard replied before he finished. Ard punched him in the gut again. "Blossom, my flower of Divine Light." He didn't know why he changed the words, it just happened, a voice in his head telling him what to say almost. "Impact." Ard whispered.

Allen's head was thrown back as pain flowed through him. His body jolted and convulsed, Ard's magic coursing through his body. A large flower blossomed on Allen's stomach where Ardorn had punched him. The flower was different this time though. It was larger than normal, and it was blue and crackled with energy. An explosion happened, propelling Allen down the road, the onlookers just barely managing to get away and clear a path for the man flying through the air.

Ard was thrown backwards several meters and was caught mid-air by a small white haired boy, his name was Bell from what he recalled. As well as Ryuu, standing beside him. Chloe was there an instant later, crying and falling onto Ard. From where Ard was he could see a massive hole through a house, and the houses behind it. Finally there was a cackling release of energy as the flower blossom exploded somewhere in the distance.

"Ard you dumbass!" Chloe yelled as she beat his chest. "What would I do if you did die?!"

"Chloe stop, he passed out!" Bell yelled a bit louder than he really wanted.

The figure watched from her throne in Babel.

"I told you not to let him touch you…" She sighed, her breath heavy with lust after watching such a blood-driven fight. She stood, and descended to the window and placed a hand there. The area around her hand fogged up, the heat seeping into the cool glass.

"Shall I go fetch him?" Said a man shrouded in shadow, his voice boomed through the room, deep and undisturbed from watching his comrade almost be killed.

"No, I'm sure he is on his way now." She replied.

"Then I'll take my leave." Said the man.

"Very well. Perhaps I'll have a little fun myself."

Darkness surrounded him again. There were voices outside of himself. He couldn't make out what they were saying though. His mind was a blur. Small windows of light slowly formed as his eyelids slowly fluttered open. The light hurt. A dull pounding resounded through his entire head.

"Ryuu, please I just want to be here with him." Someone said.

"No, you'll probably crawl into the bed with him. You'll probably be naked too!" Someone else said.

"Stop shouting." Ard spoke as he sat up. Or attempted to. Pain seared his entire body and he collapsed onto the bed, a writing mass of agony.

"Ard!" Shouted Chloe and Ryuu at once. Both leaned in to restrain him so he would not fall off the bed nor try to sit up again.

"I'll get Sula, Ard wait here with Chloe." Ryuu said releasing him so she could fetch the quack of an apothecary. The room was silent as Chloe sat on the side of Ard's bed, dabbing a cool wet towel on his brow. After a while, she started to hum an old song that Ard used to hum while he was drunk.

"I haven't heard that one in a while." Ard smiled, trying to lean up on one elbow. It caused him a massive amount of pain, and sweat fell down his furrowed brow.

"Don't move. You'll only hurt yourself more." Chloe snapped, placing her hands on his chest, pushing down lightly as not to hurt him any further.

"I didn't realize you had a maternal side." Teased the infirm. In response she placed her hand on his shoulder with the wound on the back. Then she pushed down on his shoulder.

"Ah! Fuck! The hell Chloe that was a bitch move." He complained. An hour passed as Chloe went to work cleaning Ard, she had just gone through her third towel. At that moment the white haired boy walked in.

"Hey, is he going to be okay? Asked Bell, concerned for the man that fought so well, even when injured. He had admired that about him when he saw it. But now he reconsidered, Hestia would kill him if he ever became this injured.

"I'll be fine, this is nothing compared to what I have been through." Boasted Ard, trying to alleviate some of the growing worry in both the people in the room. "In the mountains I would get injured just as bad as this. One time I fell down a gully and had to spend three days crawling out with broken legs and a broken arm!" None of this was true, he barely got hurt at all in the mountains, the worst of his injuries were just fractures and open gashes.

"Impressive, but it doesn't change the fact that you can't move right now." Chloe said, unimpressed. Ard recalled she always had a penchant for calling a bluff.

"Can I ask you a question?" Inquired Bell, looking to Ard.

"You just did." Ard replied sardonically.

"When you used that magic the first time… it didn't work and that rash you had started to freak out. What was that?" He asked. "And then all of a sudden it was gone when you stood up."

"That's because it was a magical aura imbalance, something that could have killed you if you weren't so damned lucky Ard!" Shouted a grizzled old voice. Sula was standing in the doorway, Ryuu standing behind him.

"Hey Sula." Whimpered Ard, ready for the worst lecture of his life. He was half expecting him to use an old hearing horn to help him amplify his voice into his ear. Which he had done twice before in his youth. Instead however, Sula pulled up a chair.

"You left this." He said stuffily, dropping a large bag of valis onto Ard's chest wound. Ard yelped as fresh pain coursed through him.

"Hey aren't you supposed to be an apothecary?!" Announced Chloe, who was still sitting beside him. Ardorn tried to gasp in ragged breaths as the pain slowly trickled away.

"To answer your question kid, it was a magical aura imbalance, I have come to call it Mai-Syndrome. It occurs when two powerful magical auras are present inside a person's soul. At least that's what I think. From what I've seen so far it either fades from the person not using magic, allowing the auras to settle. Or in this case be released as a powerful energy that decimates the soul in question. If that was the case… well the odds of survival are one in… I honestly don't think there is a number to describe the unlikeliness of surviving this." Sula said shaking his head, waving his hand in the air to dismiss any further questions.

"So… I got so lucky, the devil would have lost a bet." Ard simplified.

"The devil did lose a bet." Sula commented. He stood up from his chair and scratched his buttocks. He moved over to Ard's bed and skootched Chloe over off the bed. He looked into Ard's eyes, "Now… for not following the direct orders I gave you as a physician…" He whispered… Ard's eyes opened wide, wishing it not to happen.

Everyone gasped as Sula punched Ardorn square in the forehead.

"DUMBASS! Now tell me everything about what you felt when it happened." Sula declared, demanding answers. And so the long story began.

Time passed slowly for Ard but for everyone else, the time flew by. The pain was the only constant Ard felt.

"And then I was in complete darkness and started hallucinating." Ard finished his story of his plight when he used his magic.

"What?" Asked Sula.

"I started hallucinating." Ard repeated.

"No! I meant what did you see?!" Sula complained of Ard's lack of cooperation.

"Oh, should have said that to begin with." Ardorn said. "I was in complete blackness. My eyes were closed, but I knew there was a woman standing in the distance before me. My eyes finally opened and then she asked me a question. I tried to respond but couldn't so I nodded." Pain shot through Ardorn's right eye, which caused him to go into a gasping fit. Sula and Chloe restrained him while Ryuu dabbed cool water over his head. After about several minutes of this Ard relaxed from the fit.

"As I was saying…" He gasped, "She asked a question, and I nodded my head. Then I could see her face. Ryuu… I saw her. I saw Lynette. I don't know if it was a dream, an illusion, my imagination, a manifestation of my wants… or if it was a ghost. She told me to get stronger." Ard was in tears now, his breathing grew heavy again and he produced blood when he coughed. "I said I would." With that he passed onto sleep.

Sula gathered everyone that was in the room and had them shuffle out so he could attend to the sleeping patient. It was morning before Sula exited the small room. Outside the door Sula encountered two sleeping feminine forms. He managed to make out that they were Ryuu and Chloe. Chloe's head rested on Ryuu's shoulder, while Ryuu's head rested on Chloe's head. Chloe was drooling and had her arms wrapped around Ryuu's left arm. Sula quietly shuffled past them downstairs.

"Sula." Came a booming and jovial female voice. Sula sighed and whispered to himself.

"Miss Grand." Sula said as he took a seat at a table and leaned his head back against the wall, the exhaustion having caught up to him.

"I haven't seen you in two years, since Ard left and that's all you can say to me old man?" Mia complained throwing a towel at the man. "How is he?"

"Who? Ard?" He contemplated telling her and figured Ard wouldn't mind. "He's definitely hurting, slight internal bleeding, the popped blister are a risk for infection. Mentally, he thinks he saw a ghost in a hallucination. His hand is scorched from burning it with that lightning he described. So he is all in all, the general health of Ardorn." Sula chuckled, remembering the days so long ago and how Ardorn would always come in injured to all hell and be back at it the next few days.

"So Ard is Ard? That's nothing new." Mia laughed, but her face grew somber. "But he said something about Lynette, didn't he. Ryuu's sister right? She's mentioned her a few times before and I guess looking back at it, she did look a little like Ryuu. I can't really believe I never put two and two together." Mia said her voice hollow and echoing in the empty bar-room.

"Yes."

"So, what's the story with them?" Her voice inquisitive.

"That's for Ryuu and Ard to tell you." Sula responded despondently trying to avoid the topic. It wasn't his place to tell anyone about Ard's history, Mia technically knew everything there was to it anyway. Ard frequented here often, sometimes with Lynette, sometimes not. Mia was Ard's friend, she'd know his relationship status. But maybe not that he wanted to propose. No he decided it was best to avoid the topic.

At that moment Syr ran into the bar, flinging the doors open.

"Mia! There's trouble!" She expressed, her voice coming in heavy breaths as her chest heaved in air. "They think a Green Dragon broke out of its floor! It's crawling up into the higher floors, where's Bell?!"

As she finished speaking, an earthquake shook the ground, knocking some of the glasses on the shelves to the floor. Thunder sounded in the distance beneath the dungeon.

Sula gasped covering his mouth. "Oh gods. Fates and Destinies are changing these days" His eyes were wide with fear.

Again the thunder raged.

 **I hope you guys and gals enjoyed the chapter. I certainly did. Again a shout out to choclateman for the lightning magic idea. I hope i see all of you again in the next chapter!**

 **As always, never stop believing in stories!**

 **-Jaw**


	7. Chapter 7: Green with Envy

Chapter 7: Green with Envy

 ****Sorry guys and gals for the EXTREMELY LONG UPDATE… I've been busy with the end of my college semester. It's been insanely busy, labs, papers, projects, photography… It's been crazy. So thank you for your patience and know that this is not dead… Not yet anyway. I still have a lot I want to happen to Ardorn and his friends. So without further ado… Chapter 7****

The ground shook once again, this time Ard awoke from it. The quake wasn't that bad, just some minor movement that shook the bed and the decorative pieces in the room. However it did knock his sword over from its posted watch against the wall. Ard moved a little and grimaced, a numb sensation stemmed from everywhere yet nowhere on his body. He looked down to see Chloe drooling on the blankets by his lap, where she had fallen asleep. She snore and gurgled a little. Ard patted her head as he went to stand. Ryuu was nowhere to be seen, nor was Sula.

Ard didn't think it was that peculiar that they were gone, instead he resigned himself for the pain he was about to face. He sat up, wincing as the pain flourished through him, enveloping his entire being. His jerking must have awoken Chloe as when he opened his eyes he noticed she was awake and staring at him, her back arched back.

"You shouldn't be moving around yet Ard!" Chloe chastised, laying her hands on his chest softly, bringing her forehead to lean against the muscles there. "You scared me, you know. I was terrified. I thought you were going to die, please, don't do that again." She whispered, her voice pacified by tears strolling down her cheeks, dripping onto his bare chest.

"Chloe, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that." He said consoling her, laying a free hand on the back of her head. She looked up into his eyes and smiled. Ard noted it wasn't an unpleasant smile, in fact he enjoyed seeing her smile.

As they were embracing consoling each other, Ryuu walked in with a dark haired woman with a blue ribbon helping support her ample bosom, behind them was the white haired boy.

"So this is him Bell? From the way you were talking about him he looks rather pathetic." Said the dark haired woman.

"Hestia, don't be rude. He nearly died." Bell responded, blushing, embarrassed that she had said that he had been talking about Ard in a favorable light.

"Are we interrupting something Ard? Chloe?" Ryuu said tapping her foot. Both quickly shook their heads side to side, not able to speak from their sudden appearance.

"So… Who's she?" Ard asked since no one was introducing either one to each other.

"I'm Hestia. I'm Bell's goddess." She replied haughtily, clinging to the boys arm.

"Oh, good for you kid, you've got yourself a beautiful girlfriend." Ard replied, jokingly misinterpreting the response.

"G… g… Girl… friend… Girlfriend? Bell's Girlfriend?" Stammered Hestia, her face blushing, a smile rising from ear to ear. She rapidly played with her two index fingers a small amount of saliva covering her lips. Bell hastily spoke up trying to fix the 'misunderstanding'.

"It's not like that, I'm in her familia! We aren't together… right goddess? That'd be… indecent of us." Spoke Bell, his voice cracking in nervousness. With that Hestia, started to pout and regain some form of composure. With a disappointed look she finally snaps back into reality. With that Ard chuckled.

"Oh I figured, I was just screwing with you two. But it seems like this goddess of yours has… certain things she expects of you." He chuckled again. Hestia looked at Ard, her eyes squinted. She was about to speak when Bell stole the spotlight.

"Hestia… we came for a reason right?" He said, trying to avoid any anger she might be about to deliver upon Ard.

"I suppose. Fine. Man in the bed with the crying cat on you. Join my…" Hestia starts to say, placing the back of her wrists on her hips and thrusting out her chest to convey her confidence.

"No." Spoke Ard, curtly cutting her off.

"What? Why?" Hestia replied, her eyes wide open and mouth agape. "It'd be beneficial for you! You would get even better at adventuring and…"

"And I'd have to work with people and watch their back. The last time I was supposed to do that, I wasn't even there. No, I don't want to be responsible for anyone else's blood on my hands."

"I told you he wouldn't go for it Bell." Ryuu said quietly, looking rather sad.

"So that was the why Im being insulted by a short, big-breasted goddess?" Ard questioned staring at Hestia's ample bosom. Hestia's face became red with embarrassment as she noticed. Ryuu moved closer and slapped him hard against the back of the head. "Ow! That hurt Ryuu." He scolded.

"I should be the one scolding you." Ryuu replied, turning her back to him.

The ground rumbled its anger against the world.

Before them stood a green dragon. Everything about it was huge. The size of its mouth, eyes, head, tail, body, limbs. But most of all, its hunger was huge. It gnawed on a bloody mess. The blood was all over the walls and seeping down its shimmering scales. The group was awestruck. The seven of them knew this wasn't a normal monster rex. This was an Unnatural Spawn. Normally a group of twenty could kill this thing, but these seven betted it would take a group as large as the one that took down the Black Goliath. No, they thought they'd need a group as large as that just to get a few survivors to injure it. They needed an army to kill this thing.

"Ardlebor, I'll make a dash for its face, you guys get out of here!" Cried out Yung, the diminutive dwarf charged forward with his too massive farming sickles. Before he could get too far Gertrund, grabbed the dwarf by the beard and yanked him back, saving him from a heavy swipe from the dragon's tail.

"Don't be hasty Yung. We all get out together! Now RUN!" Cried out Ardlebor, sending the other six in front of him. He ran with them for a time until he was sure they wouldn't look back. "Goodbye guys." He said as he threw a vial of a volatile chemical. As it landed he was already turned around, the explosion happened behind them.

"Ardlebor!?" Cried out Ninae, the small prumm tried to go back and clear the rubble, but the others stopped her and dragged her on. Tears in all of their eyes.

"Well dragon… it looks like it'll just be you and me!" Ardlebor charged forward dodging the swiping claws and tail as he went to try and slow it down.

Little did he realize that his sword wouldn't just save his friends. It would help save the entire city. If not, the world.

 ****Okay guys, I know this one is really short. And I apologize, but with this college semester ending… I've been super busy. I swear to you all I'll try and keep these stories coming out fairly quickly. But until then be patient with me. And to any new followers to the story let me say welcome! And please leave a comment to tell me how I'm doing, it'll help a lot, and just possibly motivate me to write more often!****

 **As always, Never stop believing in stories.**

 **-Jaw112211**


	8. Chapter 8: Corruption

Chapter 8

 ****Okay… So I know it has been quite a LONG time since the last update. Please forgive me as a lot of personal stuff has been going on. The bright side however is I am now free to continue writing this story. However, I am finding myself less and less motivated to continue. But until I get to the end at the twentieth chapter, we shall continue the journey. And then we still might get to see Ard in action afterwards. It'll depend on the success of this 20 part series. If it does well there might be a better chance at a Second Chapter.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter guys and gals, now for the story to continue.****

"He'll never join a familia, that's just the way he is." Ryuu sighed, looking towards the bed-ridden Ard. She moved to the window and opened it as the ground rumbled once again. She side-stepped a slight bit to avoid falling. Hestia fell into Bell's arms.

"It seems there are quite a few earthquakes going on now, huh? Is someone using earth magic down there?" Asked Ard holding Chloe up so she wouldn't fall to the floor or on top of him.

"Wrong again." Spoke Sula as he clung to the door frame in the hall. "Dragon, big dragon. Big, angry dragon. It escaped its floor." Sula lurched in the doorway as the ground tilted to and fro. Ryuu was standing next to the small desk and grabbed onto it as a loud roar was loosed from the direction of Babel.

"Hestia, we should find Welf and Lili. I'm worried about them." Spoke Bell, leading her towards the door.

As the rumbling died down and the group regained their bearings, Ard sat at the side of the bed and started to stand still holding onto Chloe for support. "Well, how'd that happen? It shouldn't be able to escape the dungeon, unless it… wait… did it?" Questioned Ard, already fearing what this could mean.

"Did what?" Bell asked, completely out of the loop of the conversation.

"Mutate." Spoke Ard and Sula, simultaneously, both placing a fist under their chin.

Sula continued as Ryuu and Chloe helped Ard into shirt and pants. "It's rare, but it happens, I believe it has only happened three or four times in all of the history of Babel. The beasts were called the Behemoth, the Leviathan, and the Black Dragon. Two of them were defeated long ago by a powerful familia, but the last one, the Black dragon, destroyed that familia."

"Right," Chimed in Ard, "It destroyed the god too… it was that powerful. However, I doubt this dragon will be on the same level as that one. But if it has mutated… It'll still be a tough battle."

"I don't understand; how can the monsters mutate?" Bell questioned on, trying to figure out what this all meant.

"It doesn't really mutate. It's just how we describe it, there is no word for what happens, in essence a better way to describe it might be to say, that the monster goes berserk and on a rampage." Answered Sula, striving to progress the conversation.

They continued talking as Ard left the room and proceeded downstairs, he slunk into the dining common, it was already bustling with excitement. The smell of beer and meat wafted through the air, the cooking fire making the main room hot. Ard snuck up past the counter and surprised Mia with a tap on the shoulder.

"Ard?! Shouldn't you be resting still, you couldn't have healed yet." Mia spoke concerned for his health.

"It's fine as long as I don't do anything reckless..." Came the grunting reply.

"Being you is the definition of reckless, Ardorn. Well if you're up, might as well put you to work, clean the mugs." She said tossing the rag to him as well as one of the wooden mugs. "What are they talking about upstairs, the dragon?" She questioned.

"You know about that?" Ard said stunned at her knowledge of the situation.

"Indeed, Syr already told me." As Mia said this Syr lifted her head from the corner seat in the back where she was still trying to regain her composure after running full speed to tell the proprietress. "So, what do you intend to do now? I mean you wouldn't just leave everyone and try sneaking out without a good reason, right Ardorn?"

 _She always did have a penchant for knowing what I was up too in dangerous situations._ Thought Ard. He continued to think of all the answers he could tell her that might make her believe that he wasn't going to do something dangerous. In the end, he decided that the truth would be the best idea. So he began to explain.

"Mia, I'm…"

 **Okay an EXTREMELY Short chapter… Sorry guys but as the previous note at the top of the story stated, I have been swamped in a massive amount of things, personal and family related. So in the hopes that you are all still interested in this story, I will put out this now and hope you guys are still enjoying it, if not I might just have it fade into obscurity… not that I want it to. Also I might make a small mini-series exclusively about Sula and his fun little antics, maybe five short stories or so. If that sounds appealing to you go ahead and tell me so… if not tell me just to continue the main story. Also prepare for a time skip.**

 **Jaw112211**

As always, never stop believing in stories!


	9. Chapter 9: Retaliation

"Well," Spoke Ard leaning closer against the bar top, "this is what I was thinking…" And so he began to explain to Mia his plan to do something very reckless.

"Is this everyone?" Exclaimed a stunned man standing atop a podium in the large hall. He smashed his fist, as if it were a gavel used by a judge against the mahogany surface. "This is it? Only twenty-seven people? That isn't enough!" He cried out, tears streaming down his face. A small hand was placed on his back.

"Yung, it's only been a day and a half, give it time…" Ninae comforted "I'm sure more people will gather to help seal of the dragon. Ardle… Ardlebor would want us to plan this out well." She finished, removing her hand from the dwarf's back and walking towards Gertrund and the other three.

The hall was filled with laughter and loud voices, something they couldn't understand, especially when the nature of the gathering was so grave. How were they going to deal with the dragon that killed their leader, their friend? They had come up with a basic plan to trap the beast by collapsing the tunnels to either bury it or trap it on a floor, at least until a large enough force could be gathered to destroy the despicable creature. At least it was until someone stood up.

"Why the hell are we laughing here!" Shouted an adventurer standing up so fast that his chair flew out from behind him. "A damn monster is climbing up through the dungeon, eating us! For fucks sake, you all disgust me." He paused to catch his breath, as well as to let that last comment sink in. "I thought we were here to kill the bitch!" Finished the adventurer, his face red with the heat of his own angered excitement. The room remained quiet, Yung and Ninae stood speechless with their three other friends.

"Well, it's not like we…" Spoke another adventurer, trying to alleviate the situation.

"That's not good enough, I don't care what your reason is!" The adventurer sputtered. "If you can sit here and laugh while you know this beast is devouring our friends, gods dammit! My friend, Ard, is dead because of that shit freak!" Cried out Mord moving to retrieve his chair.

 _This guy knew Ardlebor?_ Thought Yung. _Maybe he can help us kill the dragon!_ Yung started to walk over to the man that had been talking about Ardlebor. But before he could reach the man, he was storming out of the hall they had gathered in. The entire building remained quiet once Mord had left, the faces of those inside who had been laughing, were now pondering the floor.

"Well, he has a point, people are dying down there right now…" Spoke a lanky adventurer, "we should take this more seriously. Does anyone have a plan?" he finished.

"We do." Called out Ninae from up near the stage with her three other companions, Yung looked up to where his friends stood, tears in his eyes.

"Yes, that we do." He added. "Here's the deal."

"That's crazy," Mia said exasperated raising a hand to her face, "Even for you Ard. You're in no condition to do anything… Leave it to others."

"I've always wanted to fight an Unnatural Spawn; why would I want to let others deal with it?"

"Because you'll probably die." Mia spoke flatly. "You won't amount to anything if you're dead. Ever think of that?" Her voice was shaded with indignation and unease.

Ard looked up with a sly grin widening from ear to ear. "Of course," He replied to Mia, "But of course that doesn't matter at all. Since I'll never die." He stated clearly, his voice carrying an unbridled amount of confidence.

Mia shook her head, turning her back to the zealous fighter. "Where does that confidence of yours stem from Ard?" She questioned to herself.

"Confidence? It isn't that, it's faith. Faith in the impossible, mostly. I think. Maybe?" Ardorn spoke exuding an aura of confusion as he tried to put what he thought into words. With that he started to stand, much to Mia's vexation.

"Ard, wait a moment, you aren't going anywhere like that." Mia scolded moving to him faster than she should have been able to. "Tell you what, I'll have Chloe…" Mia paused, considering the possibilities of having Chloe take Ard out on the town. "I'll have Syr take you to a large meeting that some adventurers were planning nearby. Listen to their plan and then, if you like it, when they go to kill it… Then you can go with them." She said softly, tilting her head and giving a waning smile.

Ard looked at Mia questioningly, unsure whether this might be one of Mia's many rhetorical traps he'd fallen before. "Well, that sounds…" As he was speaking Ryuu, followed by the rest of the party from upstairs, came into the main room.

"Ryuu, Chloe," Mia called out to the two waitresses, "Get your asses in gear, we were supposed to open earlier!" Chloe let out a slight response to acknowledge that she understood, Ryuu went to work right away. "Syr, take Ard to that meeting over past Daedalus Street!"

"Yes Ma'am!" Syr breathed as she tried desperately to stand without falling, haggard from the long run.

"And no matter what… Do not, let him out of your sight." Mia demanded. As the two were about to leave through the now busy opened doors, Mia called out one last thing to Syr. "And don't let him talk you into letting him fight!"

Mord was walking towards the Hostess of Fertility, angry at the fools that joked and played in that important meeting. He was seething, their incompetence at being able to read a situation as dire as this was vexing to him. As he was climbing the short stairs to the tavern, the doors flew open. Before him stood a silver-haired young girl and behind her, Ardorn.

"Ardorn! You're alive!" Mord cried as he flew through the doors shoving the girl out of the way and embracing Ard.

"I won't be…" Ard grunted, "If you keep trying to squeeze me like that!" He exhaled. "Lay off Mord!"

"But, the meeting…" Mord said confused stepping back and looking Ard over. "They said you were dead! I thought…" Mord grew silent, realizing he was saying one childhood friend, who'd always been tough as a troll, had died. "Boy! I'm glad they were wrong! How'd you get away from the dragon? Did you kill it?" Mord barraged, questioning Ard with everything he had.

"What are you talking about, I never fought a dragon. I got these from some kid."

Mord stopped mid-question, his mouth agape. "A kid?" As he asked this, he saw the familiar tuff of white hair descend from the stairs and start to talking to Mia. "That boy? Really, I know he's strong, but really? Ard, you're joking right?" Mord spoke, a dumbfounded expression on his face.

Ard looked over his shoulder, "Oh, him, no… Some cat guy. I think? Don't remember his name. Had a spear and a helmet that covered his face." Ardorn shook his head quickly, clearing it from all the questions his friend had posed to him. "Look, I don't have time for this, I got to get to that meeting by Daedalus Street, you coming?" Ard asked, not knowing that he had just come from there.

"You're going to that?" Mord asked, "Of course you are… Okay sure, I'll head back there with you." Mia, interested in the conversation by the door, interjected a thought at that moment.

"If you're bringing him, Syr, stay here, clean the tables!" She shouted over the commotion that was going on in the tavern from the small group that was bustling about trying to prepare to open. A nodded response was all that Syr gave as she ushered Ard and Mord outside.

As they arrived in front of the door, it was past midday.

"Mord, shall we make an entrance? I mean, the legends still live on about me right?"

"Go for it, these fuckers need a wake-up call." Mord laughed. "Let's show these pukes a good time." Mord reached out his arm, and Ard did the same, as the clasped forearms, a wide grin crested their faces.

"Just like ol' times!" They both said in unison. They turned to the door, prepared for what was about to happen.


	10. Chapter 10: The Return of a Legend

**OKAY! So I have discovered that the format thing didn't quite work out the way I had wanted last update, so please pardon me as I try to amend that in this chapter, so BEWARE! I'm not sure how the chapter will look visually… Because the way I wrote it and the way I uploaded the chapter were VERY DIFFERENT! So again, pardon me for that, should this chapter be formatted correctly, I will be taking down chapter 8 and then re-uploading it so that it is the proper format and not so taxing to read.**

The hall was quiet as the group upon the stage finally finished explaining their plans. It was brilliant from a strategic standpoint, however, it had on major flaw, they would need people to defend the spell casters. That meant someone would have to fight the dragon, head on. Finally, someone called out.

"That's basically asking those people to die! It's suicide, a suicide mission for your revenge!" Cried out a panicked man, realizing what it was they asked. "Who'd be crazy enough to do it! Like hell we'll die for your sorry asses!" A chorus of agreement shot through the hot and stuffy room, the smell of sweat filled the air.

Ardorn kicked the door in.

The doors crashed open, the hinges shaking, loosening from the wall and door. The unexpectedness of it sent the room silent once more, the breeze generating from the door letting out the hot and stale air. In the door way stood two shadowed figures the light, blinding to those that had been inside for hours. Forward stepped the man that had stormed out, he started speaking.

"I hope you lot remember the stories 'bout the Demon Child of the Far East!" Mord chuckled, waving an arm behind him. "Cause, he's here!" As he announced that, Ard looked at Mord stunned that he had called him by that old alias. Though it was probably true that that name would be the only way anyone would know him.

"Mord, you don't have to make it sound like I'm a god you know, cause I'm not." Ard joked, "I mean didn't you see these already?"

The room was still silent, not comprehending what was going on. They looked around in confusion, no one had heard anything about The Demon in a couple of years, everyone thought he had probably died in the dungeon. The last they had heard of the guy had been just before someone wiped out a whole familia. All these people only heard the legends of the man that survived the Far East islands as nothing more than a child fighting to protect his meager little village. No one here would have met him personally, and even then, why would they believe that this man, a man covered in these wounds, could even be remotely related to that legend.

"He's dead, no one has heard from him in years! Besides look at that sop!" Shouted out an adventurer near the front, "He's covered in wounds! You never heard the Demon Child getting hurt before!" He finished, shouting above the movement of everyone as they adjusted in the room.

"Wait! I saw this guy before!" Another called out, reaching out through the front of the crowd and poking through. "I saw him fighting Allen two days ago! He should'a died! How are you even standing!"

Ard looked at the guy in confusion, as if it was obvious. The room went into an unbridled uproar as people discredited and validated the claims. This continued for quite some time before it died down.

 **FLASH BACK WARNING!**

The large creature lunged again, the boy deftly dodging out of the way of the mangled clawed hand. Every cut the child made seemed to be useless as they kept closing with alarming speed, the troll only seemed to become more enraged at its quarry. The pale green-gray skin shimmered in a viscous gel, its own blood covering it. Again it slashed at the child before it, and once again the tiny figure darted away from its ravenous grasp.

"Kill the beast! Kill it! What are you waiting for!" Rose a cry from the gathering townsfolk, attracted to the commotion in near the outer gate wall. "Ardorn!" Came a collective cheer as once again he slashed into the troll's scaly flesh.

"That's right, he's our Demon Child! He'll ne'er go down!

Ardorn lunged forward, short sword in hand to stab it thrice more. The blade sunk into the flesh of the creature once again leaving three more wounds.

"I need another weapon!" Cried Ard, painfully aware that he was not getting anywhere. Some men and a few women ran back to the town, the blacksmith among them. Within a minute the blacksmith returned with a gleaming broadsword.

"Demon Child! A gift for you!" Called the grizzled, tan blacksmith, as he threw the blade at the combatants.

Ard dodged as claws went to grasp him while also dodging the large sword. With a sickening crunch it bit into the troll's bone. The creature felt pain yet cared not as it once again went to pounce. But as it did, Ard leapt forward as well, latching onto the hilt of the sword with one hand and swinging his body up ripping the sword out of troll's boney arm. As he did this the crowd cheered.

Ard, still in the air brought himself to spin in mid-air, lashing out at the troll with the broadsword. The sword barely connected with the beasts hooded neck. The sword cut through its flesh as if it were a broad axe through a spindle stick. The troll attempted to curdle out a feral scream as it slashed in the air at the young boy. But Ard was in his element, bloody combat, his eyes glowed as the troll's blood doused him. The stench would have been unbearable had he not gone into a fury.

As Ardorn landed, he quickly leapt on one foot, lunging forward towards the beast's neck once more. With baselard in hand, he cleaved the head off before the sinews could heal. The body of the creature stood still for a moment, then fell to the side in a heap. A farmer came forward with a torch and threw it on the body, incinerating it so it would not regrow a head, nor body.

 **Back to the Present**

As the room silenced a bit, people were grumbling about how 'The Demon' was either dead or alive, Ardorn, or not Ardorn. Ard, whilst this was occurring had been having a chat with an amiable dwarf and his companions. Mord was still arguing with a couple people about how Ard was the Demon Child of the Far East.

"Well, I like the plan… Boldly brilliant, but bloody insane!" Ard laughed as the dwarf finished explaining the plan he had to subdue the dragon. "Let's run it by the rest of these guys." He said smugly, thumbing out the plethora of people behind him.

"Already did, right before you entered." Spoke Yung, "Looks like you volunteer then?"

"Give me a few days and I'll be there front and center." Ard smiled back, his fists opening and closing in anticipation.


End file.
